Community‑rooted, empathy‑driven action for African penguins on the brink #NotBy2035
shannon.duplessis 
| There are two Schalks: one penguin and one human. Penguin Schalk’s story begins on a bright November morning in Mossel Bay. It was the kind of morning where the sea looks calm, but life along the coastline is anything but predictable. On November 20, 2025, at National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) Station 15, a volunteer … Read more |
| Rocky first arrived at our partner SAPREC’s facility in September 2024. He was hungry, skinny, with severe sunburn, and in an arrested moult. He had to stay out of the sun and have sunscreen applied daily. Rocky fought hard. He gained weight, finished his moult, and in December 2024, our partner released him back into … Read more |
| Rescued in De Kelders, Bob arrived at the African Penguin and Seabird Sanctuary in November 2015. He had been bitten by a dog just above the eyes, which led to a severe infection on his left side. Some skin loss from the infection gives him the look of having a missing eyebrow. He also has … Read more |
| Found at Pearly Beach in October 2017, Carlos came to the African Penguin and Seabird Sanctuary after suffering a seal bite on his left shoulder, which affected the use of his flipper. Carlos has mastered the art of sanctuary living. He’s the penguin equivalent of that friend who loves hanging out but also treasures their … Read more |
| On Wednesday 12 November, it was time for another 12 African penguin chicks and one adult to be released back on Dyer Island, their home colony. These little ones had been removed from the island by conservation partners, CapeNature and the Dyer Island Conservation Trust/APSS teams, because their parents were moulting and unable to care … Read more |
| At the current rate of decline, African penguins could become extinct in the wild by 2035, triggering severe ecological disruptions and cascading losses across marine ecosystems. Their conservation is not only an environmental imperative but also a moral and spiritual one, rooted in the species’ intrinsic worth and our ethical responsibility to protect biodiversity. What’s … Read more |
| In July 2025, Sunshine arrived at our partner SAPREC’s facility after surviving a devastating seal attack. His right side had been torn open, leaving muscle and even his shoulder bone exposed. Thanks to the skill of the surgeon, Sunshine’s wounds were carefully repaired, and his long road to recovery began. For weeks, he lived in … Read more |
| We track metrics (outputs), such as the number of African penguins rehabilitated or the number of artificial houses provided, but measuring impact requires a deeper dive. Outputs vs. Impact: The Core Distinction Outputs Impact Tangible deliverables or activities Meaningful change resulting from those deliverables Often countable: events held, signs posted, posts shared Often qualitative or … Read more |
| The Proust Questionnaire began as a Victorian parlor game that Marcel Proust, the French novelist and master of introspection, helped make famous. He believed that by answering a set of deceptively simple questions, a person could reveal the contours of their true nature. Today, our Chief Inspiration Officer, Waddlesworth, waddles proudly into that tradition. In … Read more |
| A cautionary tale, as told by Waddlesworth, Chief Inspiration Officer Ahem! May I have your attention, please? Waddlesworth here, ambassador extraordinaire of the African penguin persuasion. Ah, dear listener, gather close. The tale I’m about to tell is not for the faint of heart or flipper. It begins with eggs, ends with empty bellies, and … Read more |